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Derby H

Discussion in 'Ipswich Town' started by Westlake33, Dec 27, 2017.

  1. Nuggets

    Nuggets Well-Known Member

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    It's just dull, isn't it chaps? We are a club that is treading water, serving up bland, predictable, and mind numbingly boring football on a regular basis lately. You can't fault this Ipswich side for a lack of effort (neither goals earlier this season), but we just get outplayed against most teams. Our only imprint on football matches are quick counter attacks, lucky breaks, and absorbing a lot of pressure. I can't remember the last time we completely played a side off the pitch and dominated a match. I dread to think what other football fans think of our football! They probably pity us, and so would the pundits who regularly trot out garbage like "Ipswich are lucky to have McCarthy" if they took the time to watch us occasionally.

    I pick and choose my games and, to be frankly honest, after seeing the dross served up against Norwich, Fulham, and QPR over the past month or so, there's hardly anything tempting me back to Portman Road other than blind duty! I didn't watch the Derby game, but like most matches against relatively successful teams in this division, I thought we'd lose and play awful, as did many others who decided they were better and cheaper ways of passing the time this afternoon.

    I don't want to rant, and I'm not going to lay all the blame at McCarthy's door, but he must take some of the responsibility for our slide down the table and our negative style of football over the last three years. The board, and in particular Marcus Evans, must take some of the blame for the lack of investment, ambition, and planning over the decade they've been in charge. One play off season under Evans' watch and we are now left with an ordinary squad and a mountain of debt to Evans himself. Our activity in the window will likely be cheap and I have a horrible feeling Bart will be sold off to Palace for millions that won't be get reinvested.

    So what are we waiting for? I'm hoping this season gets over and done with sooner rather than later. It'll likely peter out and result in a lower mid table position, which is not at all appealing. A new manager in the summer would be preferable and would get some people back through the door again. But then what? We will still have an owner who refuses to invest adequate amounts in the squad. Any half decent player will eventually be sold off for a few million. We will likely get in another experienced old British manager like Megson, Redknapp, or Mowbray over younger managers who play a more proactive, attacking style of football. The decline of this club goes further than a change of manager. This club needs changing and refreshing throughout, from top to bottom, if we are to mount a plausible promotion push. Retain the academy, our one positive, and bring in a more innovative coach. Do something ... anything ... to change the cycle of the last 16 years. Change it now before this once great club continues to demise and gets relegated.
     
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  2. San Diego

    San Diego Sir Mediator
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    I'd like to know the number of injuries that are happening at PR compared to away matches. Pitch looked rough in places today. Saw somebody mention on twtd the other day about us constantly watering the pitch, could that be the issue? I know wet grass makes the ball move quicker but surely with our tactics we would want to keep it dry. We're handing the initiative to the teams that play football on the green stuff <laugh>
     
    #22
  3. johnnywarksmoustache

    johnnywarksmoustache Well-Known Member

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    Great post Nuggetts <applause> and I think you speak for the majority of posters on here and indeed Town fans in general. My lad went with a mate yesterday and he said the atmosphere around the ground was as flat as the performance! Suffice to say that he won't be going again this season and I really can't blame him. There really aren't many viable options out there in terms if managers apart from the same old retreads! Who in there right minds would want to come to Ipswich at the moment???
     
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  4. Spanish

    Spanish Well-Known Member

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    Yeah but Warky, you are only looking in the UK when you say the same old managers.
    I would say there are plenty of foreign managers out there that could do a job!
    Look at the prem league, how many of the top teams are managed by British managers?
     
    #24
  5. johnnywarksmoustache

    johnnywarksmoustache Well-Known Member

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    I just don't think ME has the footballing nous to find an up and coming foreign coach let alone be willing to tempt them here! His record with appointing managers leaves a lot to be desired although I admit that MM has turned out to be a disaster. He was the right man initially but h has been here too long and overstayed his welcome. Norwich went abroad for a coach and look where they are now! Farked!! <laugh>
     
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  6. Nuggets

    Nuggets Well-Known Member

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    I would like to see a foreign manager at the club. I know nationality and youth are not guarantees of innovation, but a coach from Holland, Germany, or Spain should bring the kind of playing style we want to see at Portman Road and would break the monotonous cycle of the type of managers we've had from Keane to McCarthy. However, any foreign manager would probably want to bring in a contingent of his compatriots to the squad, which would naturally require investment. I haven't seen any evidence over the past half a decade that Evans would open the chequebook again, even in a hopeful promotion gamble. We need to avoid going down the route of "experience" that hasn't worked.

    Warky, I would disagree that McCarthy has turned out to be a "disaster". Easily our best manager since Royle, in terms of what he has achieved at the club with little financial support. Bar the last season, Mick has us regularly competing around the play offs. I think history, and the supporters, will eventually judge him kinder once he has left.

    The problem is, he has exceeded his use and has taken the club as far as he can. His relationship with the supporters has broken beyond repair. While I hope our next manager is successful, I think in all likelihood we will probably fail to mount a play off push for a number of years until the academy bears fruit or more money is made available to become competitive. With any luck, the football will be more entertaining and the manager will be more respectful to the club and the supporters.
     
    #26
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  7. fieldmarshall

    fieldmarshall Well-Known Member

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    I think you were right Nuggets w,hen you said the Club needs changing from top to bottom, that means owners who buy a Club not just to be in football or some other shady reasons but to have a plan to gain promotion and have the neccessary finance in place for the purchase of players of the required quality plus the management and coaching staff equally of the right quality.
    I know this doesnt guaruntee promotion but to continue to operate the way we are doesnt even guaruntee survival in the Championship, ticket prices can only be raised so many times to compensate for falling attendances before gate numbers fall off a cliff, our best players being sold for vast profits can only be done so many times before theres no one of any saleable quality left.
    Nuggets was right when he asked what would change in the Club with just a different manager, the answer is nothing without a change of policy from the owner and thats not going to happen.
    Its no secret ive wanted Evans out for years with his reclusive bullshit and complete lack of vision for our Club, if ever weve needed owners with drive and enthusiasm who will attend matches home and away and comminicate willingly with the fans its now before the apathy thats sweeping the Portman Road gathers momentum and we find ourselves in the lower reaches of the football league ie Coventry City.
     
    #27
    Southcoastoldgaffer and Nuggets like this.
  8. Westlake33

    Westlake33 Well-Known Member

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    The only positive I can see from this - is somehow we're only five off the play offs.

    With a fully fit squad, I may say we have a squeek with Moore + the new Irish lad to come in Jan and hopefully the back of Sears - however as posted before on my 15/16 rant........... in reality it just seems inevitable the season is on the brink of total collapse.

    Important Jan to shape next season I feel.
     
    #28
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  9. Southcoastoldgaffer

    Southcoastoldgaffer Well-Known Member

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    3 good posts, and I have to agree that the future is bleak, with present Club set up & for past few years, is it really 8-10 yrs of Evans regime of apathy?
    From top to bottom, except the academy it has been failing and, frankly astonishing that we haven't sunk to regular relegation dog-fights. So, yes, a hint of praise to MM for avoiding that. But, to be fair, he has done his best with the pitiful resources available. He is now yesterday's man, struggling to deliver yesterday's policies, with unimaginative directors, devoid of any proper long term planning.

    I agree too with Nuggets. Total change, Evans forced/encouraged/campaigned to go, leaving a massive debt burden to re-finance. Perhaps follow the Pompey community/supporters' route & model. Or, entice a new owner with vision & back him. Bring in fresh overseas younger manager - the Dutch are a good start, forget their national performances, the French also, and both near neighbours with healthy youth infra-structures - with right resources. Develop a whole new strategy & ITFC culture. Refresh the PR, revisit the ticketing & pricing structure, consult with the flippin supporters committees and communities.Bring on our potentially talented youth. Keep those staff that merit another Go. Ditch the rest. How long would this take?

    Evans to go - 1-2 years.
    MM to resign/retire 6-12 months.
    New thinking, new approach, new manager and team - 2-3 yrs
    Fresh performances, Club development, 2-3 years.
    Better results 3-5 yrs.
    Can we wait that long?

    Hmm, no choice for most of us I guess.

    We are a forgiving mad, passionate lot, but he has lost the fans now, and my guess, some of the players too.

    If as in Westy's tweaks of blind optimism - which I shared til a few years ago tbh - we do scrape an unlikely win here and there, it only covers the cracks...the ravines, and the dreadful sad state of affairs at our beloved Club.

    I am almost ashamed to say that I haven't driven up once this season, mainly due to poor health, but disillusionment has set in too.

    Cue...we thump Fulham 3-0 away...ha bloody ha!
     
    #29

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